Jingle Nerves, Jingle Nerves, Jingle All The Way!

Today's post from neuropathytreatmentgroup.com (see link below), is about as current a news item as it can get but it has to be acknowledged that many parts of the world don't celebrate Christmas but western advertising (thank you Coca Cola et al) has ensured that it's as recognisable a holiday as can be. Whatever your celebratory time of the year is, this article still applies to you if you suffer from neuropathy! For a normal healthy person, this sort of holiday brings more stress than it deserves but for someone living with the effects of nerve damage, it can be torture. Nevertheless, it has to be dealt with as best you can. This article gives some good advice but the most important message is not to expect too much of yourself during this time. You can only do what your body will allow you to do and although the rest of the world will expect you to be on top form and be as merry as the rest...just like the turkey...stuff 'em! You deserve some pleasure too and that will involve being strong and ignoring the pressure all around you. Then, maybe the pain may be a little less unbearable and you can pull a cracker too! Keep calm and may your bells, not your nerves, jingle all the way!!

Getting Through Christmas With Neuropathy 
December 2018

The sights, sounds, and thoughts of the Christmas holidays most often bring to mind feelings of enjoyment or happiness, but for the Neuropathy sufferer the Christmas holidays can bring about feelings of dread or fear. The family and friends coming over in what seems like 20 at a time, screaming kids and everyone wanting to do things that may affect your symptoms are stressful for anyone, neuropathy or not! Christmas is a time for family and love but for many chronic illness sufferers, it’s a very stressful time. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Surviving the Christmas holidays along with the planning, shopping, and decorations that must be accomplished can be done with a few simple steps of advanced planning. Enlist some help from friends and family and figure out your plan of attack accordingly.

Planning

Advanced planning is an important aspect of any Neuropathy sufferer’s life, but it is no different when it comes to getting through the Christmas holidays. Advanced planning includes creating lists, sticking to schedules, and prioritizing for the Christmas holidays. Also important is pacing, simplifying, as well as delegation. If you have kids, give them small and minor tasks (if younger) and bigger tasks (for older kids) as the days get closer. Listening to the symptoms and how the body responds to the extra demands of the Christmas holidays is also important for the Neuropathy sufferer to be conscious of. Planning for periods of rest and relaxation in between planning, shopping and decorating are also important for the overall enjoyment of the Christmas holidays to continue. If you need a break, take one! Continue with setting up when you’re feeling up to it and be sure to follow a guide such as this one: Neuropathy 101.

Shopping

Tips for shopping for the Christmas holidays when it comes to the Neuropathy sufferer take into account how the symptoms of Neuropathy might affect them on any given day. Since symptoms sometimes vary, ensure you plan adequately according to your own body. You know yourself better than anyone else! Christmas shopping can become an enjoyable experience again if a few simple steps are followed: 

Make a List
Shop at Home (Online. My family puts out a box of treats and water for delivery personnel during the holidays because their delivery quota is increased dramatically. Check out these examples.)

Organize the Shopping Trip
Time the Shopping Trip
Invite a Friend to Help
Care for Yourself (pay attention to symptoms)
Dress for Comfort
Plan for Periods of Rest
Ask for Help

Decorations

Christmas decorations with the lights, the trees, the garlands, and the cute little Christmas towns can drain the energy of a normal person. However, the thought of dragging all of that out of storage, sorting it, and putting it up can overwhelm a person who has been diagnosed with neuropathy. One suggestion is to take Christmas decorating in small amounts or divide the decorations up every year by room. If the task becomes more easily accomplished within shorter amounts of time then it becomes more doable for the neuropathy sufferer who is already running on decreased energy and higher fatigue levels.

This Christmas, things will be different. You’re well equipped to deal with Christmas this time around, and you can always look back on this blog for help and support. From everyone here at Neuropathy Treatment Group…

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

http://www.neuropathytreatmentgroup.com/getting-through-christmas-with-neuropathy/